PSG's midfield recruitment has not been meagre in recent transfer windows. Vitinha, Carlos Soler, Fabián Ruiz and Renato Sanches arrived in the summer of 2022. The midfield was further strengthened by the arrivals of Manuel Ugarte and Kang-in Lee this summer. The conditions weren't exactly optimal for an academy product to stake his case for a place, especially in the context of PSG's historical difficulties in integrating youth players. 

However, Zaïre-Emery isn't any ordinary youth player. Each manager under whom he has played has recognised that. 

Luis Enrique's 'diamond'

"If a 16-and-a-half or 17-year-old is more capable of playing than the others, they will play," said Christophe Galtier back in February. The now-former PSG manager handed Zaïre-Emery 26 Ligue 1 Uber Eats appearances last season, many of which came before his 17th birthday in March. 

Galtier, now managing in Qatar, told Canal+ in September that Zaïre-Emery is "not like the others." His successor Luis Enrique is clearly of the same opinion. Under the Spaniard, the PSG academy product has consolidated his place. He has already featured 14 times this season, scoring twice and registering five assists. Three of those assists have come in the Champions League, making Zaïre-Emery the youngest Frenchman since the 1992-93 season to register an assist in the prestigious European competition. 

"Warren is a diamond," said Luis Enrique ahead of PSG's Champions League defeat against AC Milan on Tuesday. "It's easy to coach a player like him, with his innate characteristics. His biggest quality is his humility."

'The sky's the limit' - Henry

Had Zaïre-Emery been born on the other side of the Pyrenees, he would already be a fully-fledged international.

"If I was still the Spain manager (as he was until December 2022), I would have called him up, but I'm no longer a national team manager," said Luis Enrique. 

Whilst Zaïre-Emery is yet to earn a call-up to Didier Deschamps' Bleus - although that could change on 9 November - he has impressed for Les Bleuets and was even handed the armband by France U21 manager Thierry Henry.

"I wanted to see what he is made of," said the former Monaco, Arsenal and Barcelona forward. The PSG midfielder clearly passed the test, not only retaining the armband but garnering even higher praise from the France legend. 

"The sky's the limit. I have never seen a player that young being so mature [...] It is rare to see such a young player in that position," said Henry on CBS Sports after Zaïre-Emery drove Les Parisiens to a 3-0 success against AC Milan in October. 

Bleu beckons

It is now only a matter of time until Zaïre-Emery's meteoric rise is recognised with his first cap for the France national team. Didier Deschamps admitted in October that the 'Titi Parisien' is on his radar and a first selection in Bleu swiftly followed. He becomes the young Frenchman to receive a senior call-up since Maurice Gastiger in 1914.

He is likely to feature in the the upcoming November internationals against Greece and Gibraltar, and perhaps even the Euros at the end of the year, as Deschamps confirmed on Thursday. Speaking prior to his his son's call-up, Warrens's father, Franck Emery, said "He's still surprising me and I hope he'll surprise me again (and receive a call-up)."

However, what is surprising is how unsurprising that call-up ultimately was. At the age of just 17, Zaïre-Emery is already a fixture in PSG's midfield, and with talk of a contract renewal, he looks set for a long and successful future for club and country. 

>> Rising Star: Warren Zaïre-Emery

>> PSG prodigy Warren Zaïre-Emery gets senior France call!